Gate-latch.



W. C. VESPER.

GATE LATCH.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-7.19M.

Patented May 4, 1915;

anvm ltoz THE NORRIS FETERS COu PHOTO-LITHO. WASHINGIUN. D. C.

WILLIAM C. VESPER TOF STAUNTON, ILLINOISJ GATE-LATCH.

v Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 4, 1915.

Application filed October 7, 1914. Serial No. 865,527.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. VnsrEn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Staunton, in the county of Macoupin and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Gate-Latches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to gate latches, and particularly to gate latches ofv the safety type, designed especially to prevent small children from unlocking the gate and straying from an inclosed yard into the street.

The object of the invention is to provide a gate latch mechanism which shall be proof against an unlocking action by small children, but which, at the same time, may be readily and conveniently latched and unlatched by adults and children who have reached the age of discretion.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a sectional front elevation of a gate provided with my improved latching mechanism, the gate appearing in closed and latched position. Fig. 2 is a horizontal transverse section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal transverse section on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. l isa detail view of the latch and keeper. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the post at the swinging side of the gate frame.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 desig nate the gate posts at the opposite sides of the gate way and 3 a cross connection between the lower ends of said posts below the surface of the ground. I The posts 1 and 2 and the said cross connection 3 are hollow or of box like construction, and form an inclosing casing for the parts of the latch mechanism. 4 designates the swinging gate, provided with upper and lower hinge members 5 and 6 engaging coacting hinge members 7 and 8 on the post 1.

The latch mechanism comprises a pivoted latch 9 mounted upon the post 1, and having a hooked end projecting beyond said post for engagement with a keeper member 10 on the lower hinge member 6 of the gate. The said hook end of the latch 9 is inclosed within a hood or shield 11 into which the keeper member 10 moves when the gate is closed, so that when the latch is in action it will be guarded and shielded from retraction by small children. The inner end of the latch is connectedwith and controlled by a spring 12, whereby it is normally held in projected position, and by means of which it is permitted to yield to snap over the keeper the closing movement of the gate. The said inner end of the latch member is slidably and pivotally connected with the upper end of a link 13 inclosed in the post 1, the lower end of which is coupled to one arm of a bell crank lever 14: disposed within the lower end of said post. A connecting rod 15 connects the other arm of said bell crank lever 1a with a similar bell crank lever 16 disposed within the base of the post 2, which rod 15 is inclosed within the bottom box like compartment 3. A vertically disposed operating plunger rOd 17 is connected with the other arm of the lever 15 and extends upwardly within and through the top of the post 2 and is provided or connected at its upper end with an operating handle or lever 18, whereby it may be depressed to transmit motion through the described set of connections to the latch 9 to swing said latch to unlocking position, as will be readily understood.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that when the gate is latched, the operating parts will be inclosed and shielded, and the operating handle or lever 18 will be disposed at a point where it can not be reached by small children, but may be conveniently manipulated by large children and adults.

Upon the depression of the plunger rod 17 the bell crank links will be operated to draw the inner end of the latch 9 down against the resistance of the spring 12, thus lifting the free end of the latch out of engagement with the keeper, allowing the gate to be swung open. I lVhen the gate is swung to closed position, the hooked end of the latch will snap over into engagement with the keeper member, thus securely latching the gate again.

It will be observed that the construction of the latch mechanism is simple, composed of a comparatively small number of parts not liable to easily get out of order, and adapted to perform its intended function in an efficient manner.

I claim In a gate latch mechanism, the combination of a pair of hollow gate posts, a hollow sill connecting the gate posts at the base thereof, a pivotally mounted spring pressed latch member disposed in one of said gate posts and having a latch end pro ect1ng member in therefrom, a gate hinged to the latter-named crank connected With the other end of the 10 posts and having a keeper member thereon sill rod, and a link directly connecting the for coaction With the latch end of the pivoted said crank with the said latch. latch member, a rod extending through and In testimony whereof I afiix my signature 5 movable longitudinally in the other gate post in presence of two witnesses.

and having an operating member at its upper WILLIAM C. VESPER. end, a rod journaled in the hollow sill, a Witnesses:

crank connecting one end of said rod directly H. H. WILLOUGHBY,

with the said longitudinally extending rod, a H. W. MEYER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

